Hinged case with a pivoted cover and support panel



Aug. 1, 1967 R. A. HEISLER 3,333,913

HINGED CASE WITH A PIVOTED COVER AND SUPPORT PANEL Filed Feb. 1, 1966 Y4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR RAYMOND A. HEISLER AGENT R. A. HEISLER Aug. 1,1967 HINGED CASE WITH A PIVOTED COVER AND SUPPORT PANEL Filed Feb. 1,1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.;

Tu l]- INVENTOR RAYMOND A. HE ISLER FOL 4 78E we AGENT 1, 1967 R. A.HEISLER 3,333,913

HINGED CASE WITH A PIVOTED COVER AND SUPPORT PANEL Filed Feb. 1, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR RAYMOND A HEISLER MA Paw AGENT 1, 1967 R. A.HEISLER 3,333,913

INGED CASE WITH A PIVOTED COVER AND SUPPORT PANEL Filed Feb. 1, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 1 H T qlf 78 T r 1 92 18 9' an IQ 84 I0 i J 'F'lqill W Fig.12

INVENTOR. RAYMOND A. HEISLER Kai/PL AGENT United States Patent 3,333,913HINGED CASE WITH A PIVOTED COVER AND SUPPORT PANEL Raymond A. Heisler,657 Dakota Trail, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 07417 Filed Feb. 1, 1966, Ser. No.524,118

17 Claims. (Cl. 312244) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A case comprisingsubstantially equal halves hinged at one end and with the front or coverhalf having a recess to receive a cover panel in the closed position anda slot adjacent the recess through which the cover panel passes to movea support position. The cover panel is hingedly attached to the backhalf and has a latch means disposed to releasably engage the front halfnear its Unhinged end and hold the case in a determined open position.

This invention relates to hinged apparatus cases and in particular tothose cases having a self-contained movable support leg and aself-contained and movable cover panel.

More particularly this invention relates to an apparatus case h-avingsubstantially equal halves, said halves of the case being hinged at oneend. This case being further distinguished as having a self-containedmovable cover panel adapted to cover an opening or the like formed inone ofthe halves when the case is in the closed position and to uncoverthe opening when the case is moved to the open position and by thiscover panel to provide spacing and support means between the other endsof the case.

Even more particularly this invention relates to an apparatus case madeof molded halves maintained in pivotal alignment by means of a hinge.This case has one of its halves provided with a self-contained legsupport having biasing means by which the leg support is maintained inan open or closed position. This case further has a movable cover panelinternally hinged to one of the halves, whereby in its closed positionthis cover is adapted to move over and to cover an opening in one halfof the case. In its open position the cover is moved so as to uncoverthe opening and to be disposed in a position whereby the cover panelprovides a fixed support means to retain the halves in a predeterminedrelationship to each other.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus casepreferably made of plastic and molded and assembled to provide twohalves hinged at one end. The case having a leg support mounted in onehalf and a cover panel movable in response to the opening or closing orthe case to cover or uncover an opening in one of the cases. The casehaving a latch means so as to maintain the case in a closed condition orto release the halves for opening.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus case ofeconomical construction, easy to assemble and to manipulate. Thecomponents comprising the case being maintained in an attachedrelationship to the assembled case.

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Summary of the invention The present invention contemplates an apparatuscase having substantially equal rectangularly-shaped halves pivotallyjoined at one end and preferably by a flexible hinge. The front half isprovided with a recess sized to receive a cover panel hingedly mountedinternally of the case and on the rear half. The cover panel is adaptedto slide in a slot adjacent the recess in the front half and is cammedby shoulder means adjacent the slot so that the panel with the case inthe closed position lies in the recess'which may have an opening, screenor some like element which it is desirous to protect during storage andtransport. When the case is opened the halves moved to their openposition the cover panel is cammed and guided by and in the slot until alatch on the end of the cover panel engages the shoulder and/orshoulders defining the slot and thus engaged the panel acts as andprovides the means for supporting the front engaged one-half so as tohold the two halves in a predetermined open position. When desired,there may be formed in the back half a pivot socket in which there ismounted a leg member, the inner end of the mounted leg member isretained in the socket by a spring and the leg member is shaped so as toengage stop means adjacent the socket, the stop means providing limitsto the movement of the leg member.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will beunderstood from the following description and the-accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 represents an exploded isometric view showing the relativerelationship and the components comprising the case of this invention;

FIG. 2 represents a sectional view of the assembled apparatus case in apartly open position, the sectional view taken substantially midway ofthe sides;

FIG. 3 represents a sectional view of the assembled case of FIG. 2 withthe case in the closed position;

FIG. 4 represents a slightly enlarged sectional view of the assembledcase of FIG. 2 but with the case in the fully open position;

FIG. 5 represents an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the legsupport of the case;

FIG. 6 represents a fragmentary isometric view in an enlarged scaleshowing a latch means molded in mating portions of the two halves of thecase;

FIG. 7 represents an end view taken on the line 7-7 and showing thetongue or male portion of the latch of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 represents a plan view of the tongue portion shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 represents an enlarged cross-sectional fragmentary view showingthe latch of FIG. 6 in a closed position;

FIG. 10 represents a sectional view taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 11 represents an end view taken on the line 1111 and showing theclasp or female potrion of the latch of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 12 represents a plan view of the clasp portion shown in FIG. 11.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in which like parts aredesignated with the same reference number, the exemplified case assemblyas seen in FIG. 1

includes a base half 10 of a generally rectangular construction andhaving a pair of sides 11 and 12, a top end 13 and a bottom end 14. Aback wall 16 extends from and is joined to the sides 11 and 12 and ends13 and 14. A lip or receiving shoulder 18 is formed on the front orengaging edges of sides 11 and 12 and top end 13. In the presentinstance a handle 20 is molded as a part of the base half 10 and, asshown, extends upwardly from top end 13. The bottom end 14 is providedwith a cut-out 21 or relief formed in its front edge. Disposed at apredetermined distance from the cut-out and at a selected distance fromeach other are a plurality of rivet receiving holes 22 adapted to matewith like holes formed in a leg portion of a flexible hinge 24 whoseU-shaped portion is sized so as to fit in the cut-out 21 in the bottomend 14.

A top half 25 of a length and width similar to the base half 10 is, asexemplified, formed with a front wall 26, a bottom end 27, a left side28, a top end 29 and a right side 30 (end 29 and side 30 are not seen inFIG. 1 but may be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). In the bottom end 27 acut-out 32 or relief is formed in its front edge. Disposed at apredetermined distance from the cut-out 32 are a plurality of rivetreceiving holes 33 adapted to mate with like holes formed in the otherleg portion of the flexible hinge 24. This cut-out 32 is sized so as toaccept and retain the hinge 24. Formed in the upper or top portion ofthe front wall 26 is a recess 34 which is joined to the wall 26 on threesides and at the upper portion is formed with a slot 36 for a purpose tobe described below. The base half 10 and the top half 25 are assembledin a hinged relationship by means of the flexible hinge 24 and rivets 37mounted in holes 32 and 33. Rivets 37 are seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 andexemplify only the preferred means of mounting the hinge and the top andbase half. Other means such as adhesive can also be employed to attachthe leg portions of the hinge to the top and bottom half, it only beingnecessary that the two halves be maintained in a predetermined pivotalrelationship. The halves 10 and 25 are assembled so that the receivingshoulder 18 of the half 10 engages and seats the front edge of sides 28and 30 and top end 29.

It is to be noted that the interior surface of the back wall 16 of thebase half 10 is shown with a molded frame 38 upon and within which maybe mounted apparatus not shown. The upper or left hand portion of thisframe, as seen in FIG. 1, is adapted to receive a U-bracket 40 which maybe attached to the frame by means of screws 42 as seen in FIG. 4. In theextremities of the upwardly extending ear portions of the bracket 40there are formed a pair of aligned pivot holes 43 which are adapted toreceive and retain inwardly extending pins 44 which are mounted in ears45 extending from and as a part of a cover panel 46. In the opposite endof panel 46 there is formed an engaging tongue 48 which will be morefully described below. Panel 46 is sized so as to lie within the recess34.

Referring now to the FIGS. 2 through and partly to FIG. 1, it is to benoted that the upper or left portion of the frame 38 has a moldedportion adapted to receive and retain a leg 50. This leg has a straightlower portion 51 and a T-shaped upper portion 52 bent at an anglethereto with the lateral extending portions of the T adapted to rest ina V-receiving groove 54 molded in each side of the raised end portion ofthe frame 38. Intermediate these sides and extending between each ofthese' sides is a forward sloped shoulder member 56 and a rear shouldermember 58. These members are spaced so as to provide a passageway forthe passing therethrough of the lower leg portion 51 of the leg 50. Asreduced to practice, the outer surface of the sloped shoulder member 56has this outer surface of the portion adjacent the passageway formed toprovide a fortyfive degree inward and upward slope. In like manner, theouter surface of the shoulder member 58 has this outer surface of theportion adjacent the passageway formed to provide a forty-five degreeinward and upward slope. A flat spring 60 is sized so as to be retainedby shoulders 61 and 62 which, as exemplified, are formed by providingshut-offs from the outer or bottom side of the back wall 16. Spring 60when mounted so as to be engaged by the shoulders 61 and 62, is adaptedto engage the upper end of the T-shaped portion 52 of leg 50. A slideclip 63 is slidably mounted on and is retained by a suitably formedguideway 64 on the base half 10. This slide clip is adapted to engage aguideway tongue 65 carried by the top half 25.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 12, there is shown an alternateembodiment of a latch means molded in the case halves in which the latchincludes a latch tongue molded on one half and a latch clasp is moldedon a mating portion of the other half. In particular in FIGS. 6 through9, a half 70 is provided which may, except for the latch, be exactlylike half 10 or half 25. This half 70 is formed with a back wall 71connected to a top end 72 having a recessed lip 73 formed in its outeredge. Intermediate the ends of the lip 73 there is formed a tongue 74which is provided with a front surface 75 which is sloped upwardly andrearwardly until it reaches a determined point above the normal topsurface of end 72. An upper slide surface on a stop block 76 continuesto a shoulder or engaging surface 77 which extends from the top surfacedownwardly to the outer surface of end 72. In the present embodiment itis desirable to make the tongue deflectable out of the plane of the end72 hence there is accordingly provided reliefs 78 and 79 at each end ofthe tongue 74. As reduced to practice, the half 70 is made of moldedhigh-impact, high-heat resistant polystyrene and the tongue 74 isseven-eighths of an inch long with the reliefs 78 and 79 each beingonesixteenth inch wide. The tongue at the point of juncture with end 72as well as the general thickness of end 72 is about three-thirty secondsinch thick with the stop block portion 76 extending above the plane ofend 72 for a distance of about five sixty-fourths inch. The reliefs 78and 79 are sized so as to have the portion of the tongue extendingforwardly of the connection to end 72 being of a distance of aboutone-quarter inch.

A clasp portion 80 is molded on the other or second half 81 which isaddition to the back wall 82 and end 83 has a decorative retaining orreceiving strip 84. This half 81, except for the latch change, may beexactly like the other half 10 or half 25 described above. On theunderside of strip 84 there may be formed a receiving recess 58 sized soas to receive and retain lip 73. Intermediate the ends of the strip 84is clasp portion 80 having a front slope 86 extending upwardly andoutwardly to a determined point. An upper portion 87 extends rearwardlyto about the rear edge of strip 84. A hollow or recess 88 formed by ashut-off extending inwardly from the rear of portion 80 provides a barmeans for receiving and retaining tongue 74. A shoulder 90 formed at thefront of the recess 88 is shaped so as to lie adjacent and engageshoulder 77 on the tongue 74. As with the tongue, it is desirable toprovide means whereby the front portion of clasp 80 is deflectableupwardly so as to provide an easier means for the sliding of the bar 89over the stop block 76. Shut-offs 91 and 92, as exemplified, extendinwardly from a point adjacent the outer edge of strip 84 and to a pointabout at the rear of recess 85. These shut-offs extend upwardly untiltheir outer edges just meet the upper surface of strip 84. As reduced topractice, the half 81 is made of polystyrene in the manner of half 70and back wall 82 and end 83 is about three thirty-seconds of an inchthick. Shut-offs 91 and 92 are made about one-sixteenth inches wide andabout five-sixteenths deep and with strip 84 about three thirty-secondsinches thick the shut-offs will be of a like height. The recess 88 ismade about one inch wide and at the formation of shoulder 90 is aboutthree thirty-seconds thick so that shoulder 90 is about one sixty-fourthinches longer than stop block shoulder 77. The overall height of clasp80 is about three-sixteenths inches and the length is about one andone-quarters inches while the width of the clasp is aboutthirteen-sixteenths inches at the bottom. .With the shut-offs 91 and 92disposed so their upper outer edges coincide with the line forming thejoining of clasp 80 and strip 84 the coinciding lines will provide aseparation of clasp 80 and end 83 for that portion defined by shut-offs91 and 92. The depth of the shutoffs can be lengthened or shortened andthe width increased or decreased so as to provide a determined amount ofattachment of the clasp to the half end to provide the desired amount ofstiffness to the action of the clasp.

Assembly and use The assembly of the base of the apparatus case is madeby first mounting the leg 50 in position. As seen in FIGS.

1 and the leg 50 has its straight portion 51 brought through thepassageway formed between shoulders 56 and 58 and with the bent T-shapedportion 52 inclined toward the bottom end 14. The leg 50 is advanced inthe passageway until the lateral extending portions of the T engage andrest in each of the V-grooves 54. One end of the flat spring 60 is thenbrought under the shoulder 62 and through relief 66 whence the other endof the spring is able to be deflected downwardly toward shoulder 56 andafter this spring end is deflected below the level of the shoulder 61 inthe spring is moved toward and under the shoulder 61 until the spring isadjacent or is stopped by the wall portion 67 whereupon the spring isreleased with this one end of the spring now being retained by shoulder61 and the other end being retained by shoulder 62. Thespring bowed bybeing bent from a flat plane is now biased so as to urge the leg intothe V-groove 54. When so biased and the straight portion 51 of the legis swung within the limits of shoulders 56 and 58 the upper end ofportion 52 is cammed by the spring toward either the sloped shoulder 56or 58. The cammed leg when re-- leased thus is urged into an open orclosed position. As seen in FIG. 4, a recess 68 is formed in the backwall 16 and is sized so as to receive the straight portion 51 as it ismoved toward and to wall 16. In FIGS. 2 and 3 we see the leg 50 with thestraight portion 51 moved into the closed position. With the spring 60engaging the T-end 52 this end is urged into and is maintained in theclosed position by means of the spring 60 and the shoulder 58. To movethe leg 50 to the open position of FIG. 4 the end of the straightportion 51 is grasped and, asindicated by the phantom line and arrows,the leg is swung until the T-shaped end 52 engages the sloped wall 56(FIG. 5) whereupon the straight portion 51 is substantially at rightangles to the back wall 16 and is in the open or support position andthe leg is maintained in this position by spring 60 and wall 56.

After the leg 50 and spring 60 are assembled as above, the U-bracket 40may be mounted on frame 38 by means of screws 42 whereupon the coverpanel 46 may be mounted on the U-bracket. The upstanding legs of theU-bracket are caused to be sprung toward one another an amountsufiicient for the pins 44 to be inserted in the pivot holes 43 in thebracket. Upon insertion of the pins, the legs of the U-bracket areallowed to spring back to their normal position and the cover panel isnow pivotally mounted to the base.

The flexible hinge 24 is attached to both the base half and the top half25 by means of rivets 37 and after assembly the halves may be moved fromthe closed position of FIG. 3 to an open position of more than ninetydegrees. To provide a determined limit to this opening swing movementthe novel cover panel 46 is used. In the apparatus case as reduced topractice, there is provided a viewing screen 69 which may be adhesivelymounted to the recess shoulder 34 formed in the front wall 26. Othermeans of attachment such as screws, rivets or staples may be used toattach screen 69 or the like to the shoulder 34. It is not evennecessary that a screen 69 be provided as it is contemplated that theopening occupied by the screen 69 maybe used for other purposes in whichit is desired that the opening be covered when the case is closed andopen when the case is erected and opened as in FIG. 4. For thispurpose'the cover panel 46 which is pivotally mounted on bracket 40 isused as a safety cover. The engaging tongue 48 of the panel is bent ormolded so as to normally be slightly out of the plane of the panel 46.To insert the panel 46 into the desired relationship with the top half25, the free end of the panel 46 is brought to the slot 36 and thetongue 48 is moved upwardly into the plane of the panel and the panel isbrought through the slot in the top half 25 and after passing the slotthe tongue is released. The case may now be closed to the position shownin FIG. 3. In the process of closing the case a shoulder 70 formedadjacent the slot engages the outer surface of the cover panel and actsas a cam to urge and maintain this cover panel 46 in the closed positionwherein'it is caused to lie in and against the shouldered recess 34. Itis also to be noted that asthe case is opened the panel 46 is cammedupwardly and outwardly by means of the right-hand edge of the slot 36 asviewed in FIG. 2. As seen in FIG. 2 the top half is shown as being aboutone-half open and the hinged panel 46 ashaving been swung to a nearlyperpendicular position in respect to the front wall 26 of the top half25. As the top half 25 continues to swing outwardly approaching theposition of FIG. 4, the slot 36 guides the panel 46 until the tongue 48reaches the recess shoulder 34 whereupon the innercam surface 71 on thetongue engages the shoulder 34 and the tongue is cammed upwardly anamount sufficient for the tongue to enter the slot 36. When the tonguemoves to a point over the recess shoulder 34 the tongue by means of itsresidual bias moves downwardly into its normal position whereupon theouter stop block 72 on the tongue engages the outer surface of theshoulder 34 stopping the movement position'on a support surfaceindicated as by line 74; To close the case, the tongue 48 is lifted todisengage the' abutment surface'of cam 71 from shoulder 34 and the aboveprocess is reversed.

The case is normally retained in a closed position by means of a slide63 moving on a guideway 64 formed on the base half 10 and engaging aguideway tongue 65 on.

the top half 25, the slide being of sufficient length to engage, at thelock position, both the guideway and guideway tongue and maintain thetwo portions in alignment. Other lock means such as a snap or latch canbe used instead of the guideway means exemplified and described above.

The molded catch shown in FIGS. 6 through 12 and described above hasboth its members predisposed on their respective halves so that when thecase is assembled the bringing fully together of the two halves resultsin an automatic locking of the two halves. The tongue 74 as it isbrought into engagement with the clasp portion has the slope surface 75engaging the front slope 86 sothat tongue 74 is deflected downwardly andclasp portion 80 is deflected upwardly. The total of the deflectionsbeing suflicient for the stop block 76 and the bar means 89 to pass eachother'whereby the residual bias in each connecting portion is suflicientto urge the tongue 74 and clasp portion 80 to their normal positionsshown in FIG. 9. To open the catch and the halves, the clasp portion 80is grasped at the slope 86 and is urged upwardly by manipulation so asto cause the shoulder surfaces 77 and 90 to slide on each other untilthey become disengaged. It is to be noted that the extent of top end 72and end 83 is such that their thickness renders them slightlydefiectable hence any difiiculty in the disengagement of the latch isreduced by the ability to harmlessly and slightly deflect the ends 72and 83 as the separation manipulation is made.

The terms up, down, top, bottom, right, left and similar terms areapplicable to the apparatus as described in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings and such terms are merely for the purpose ofdescription and do not necessarily apply to a position in which the casemay be constructed or used.

While this invention has been described in detail with respect to apreferred embodiment and an alternate latching means, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, andit is intended to cover all such changes and modifications in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus case having halves hinged at one portion so that thecase may be opened in a predetermined manner to expose those componentsmounted in the case so as to use and view said components, and whenclosed the halves of the case adapted to shield and protect thecomponents therein, said case comprising (1) a first half, (2) a secondhalf sized so as to mate with the first half when the halves are movedinto a face-to-face relationship with each other, (3) a hinge attachedto each half and providing means for retaining said halves in apredetermined pivotal relationship to each other, (4) a recessed portionformed in the face of the first half, said recess portion being of aselected size and depth, (5) a slot formed in the first half anddisposed adjacent the recess said slot having its axis parallel to theaxis of the hinge, (6) a cover plate hingedly mounted on the second halfand movable therewith, the cover plate adapted to slide in said slot andsized and disposed so that when the halves of the case are moved to theclosed position the cover plate will lie in the slot and adjacent therecessed portion to cover a selected portion of the recess, (7) meansfor maintaining the cover plate in the recess after the halves of thecase are brought into the closed position, and (8) a means for latchingthe halves of the case so that in a latched and closed position thehalves are maintained in a closed position and means for releasing thelatch so as to allow the halves to be swung to the open position.

2. An apparatus case as in claim 1 in which the slot is provided withshouldered sides and in which the unhinged end of the cover plateincludes an engaging tongue which is defiectable in and out of the planeof the cover plate, said tongue having camming and engaging meansprovided thereon so that when the cover plate is moved through the slotand the engaging tongue is brought in the way of the shouldered side acamming means on the tongue is caused to engage the shouldered side tocam the tongue into the plane of the plate whereby when the cammingmeans passes the shouldered side the engagement means on the tongueengages the shouldered side whereupon the cover plate becomes fixed inrelation to the first half and in this fixed position provides a supportwhereby the halves of the case in this open position are disposed in apreselected spaced relationship to each other.

3. An apparatus case as in claim 2 in which the tongue is a portion ofthe cover plate with a residual bias adapted to urge and maintain thetongue out of the plane of the plate and in which the camming means onthe tongue is a protuberance extending from the tongue, the protuberancehaving on the side disposed toward the hinged end a sloped cam surfaceproviding the cam means and the protuberance having on its opposite sidean abutment surface adapted to engage the shouldered side and the tonguehaving at a predetermined distance from the abutment surface a stopblock which acts as a stop and a retaining means to engage theshouldered side.

4. An apparatus case as in claim 3 in which the means for maintainingthe cover plate in the recess is a shoulder adjacent the slot and whichengages the outer surface of the cover panel and is sized so that as thehalves of the case are moved toward the closed position said shoulderengages the outer surface of the cover panel to act as a cam to move thecover panel toward the first half so that when the case is fully closedthe shoulder engages the outer surface of the cover panel and urges thepanel into the recess.

5. An apparatus case as in claim 4 in which the hinge attached to eachof the halves of the case is a flexible hinge adapted to permit thehalves to be shifted a small amount so as to bring the halves intoalignment.

6. An apparatus case as in claim 4 in which the second half of the casehas mounted therein a leg movable in a pivoted means, the leg adapted tobe moved to and releasably locked in an open case supporting positionwhich position is at a determined angle to the second half, and atanother portion of the leg operative movement the leg is moved to andreleasably locked in a closed position in which said leg is disposed tolay adjacent the second half.

7. An apparatus case as in claim 6 in which the leg is formed with apair of lateral extending portions sized so as to lie in and be retainedby a receiving groove formed in the second half whereby to form thepivoting means, and in which a spring means is adapted to lie in and beretained by shoulders provided in the second half, the spring meansengaging an end of the leg and by an induced bias in the spring urgingthe lateral portions of the leg into the receiving groove and to therebyretain the leg in the second half.

8. An apparatus case as in claim 7 in which the leg has a straight lowerportion and a T-shaped upper portion which T-shaped portion is bent at adetermined angle to the straight lower portion and in which,intermediate the receiving grooves for the lateral portions of the leg,there is formed a forward shoulder member and a rear shoulder membersaid members being spaced to provide a passageway for the retention andpassing therethrongh of the straight portion of the leg, the outersurface of the forward and rear shoulder members being sized, shaped andspaced so as to provide preselected stop positions for the open andclosed limits of the leg.

9. An apparatus case as in claim 8 in which a receiving shoulder isformed on one of the halves, the shoulder adapted to receive, guide andretain the outer edges of the mating other half.

10. An apparatus case as in claim 9 in which there is provided a slideclip slidably mounted on and retained on a guideway provided on one ofthe halves and with the clip adapted to slide into engagement with andretain a guideway tongue provided on the other half, the slide clip andtongue, when in engagement, providing a means for retaining the halvesin a closed position and when the slide clip is moved into disengagementthe halves are free to be swung to the open position.

11. An apparatus case as in claim 8 in which the means for latching thehalves includes a tongue provided on one of the halves of the case, saidtongue having a stop block portion sized and shaped so as to provide asloped camming means and a shoulder portion, and on.the other half ofthe case there is a clasp portion formed and disposed so as to engagethe tongue when the halves are brought toward and into a closedrelationship said clasp portion having a slope engaging portion adaptedto engage the sloped camming means of the tongue and as the two halvesare moved toward each other the engagement of the tongue and claspportion cause a deflection of at least one of the engaging members andagainst a residual bias in the tongue and clasp portion so that when thestop block and bar means are moved sufficiently from 9 a normal plane anamount sufficient for them to pass each other and thereafter when thehalves are moved into the full closed position the residual bias of thedeflected member urges the member to a position whereby the bar means ofthe clasp portion is adjacent the shoulder of the tongue and saidlatching means is closed.

12. An apparatus case as in claim 11 in which the latching meansincludes the tongue which is attached to an end of the half of the caseand at only the longitudinal inner edge thereof, said attaching portionbeing sized and shaped so that the material forming this portion isdisposed to provide a bias whereby the tongue may be urged by an appliedforce to move from its normal plane and by this bias to return to itsnormal plane when the force is removed, and in which the clasp portionis attached to an end of the other half of the case, the attachmentbeing a preselected amount and shaped so that the material forming thisattaching portion is disposed to provide a bias whereby the claspportion may be urged by an applied force from its normal plane and bythis bias to return to its normal plane when the applied force isremoved.

13. An apparatus case having halves hinged at one portion so that thecase may be opened in a predetermined manner to expose those componentsmounted in the case so as to use and View said components, and whenclosed the halves of the case are adapted to shield and protect thecomponents therein, said case comprising (1) a first half of generallyrectangular construction having sides, ends and a wall extending fromand connected to the sides and ends, (2) a second half of generallyrectangular construction having sides, ends and a Wall extending fromand connected to the sides and ends, the second half sized so as to matewith the first half when the halves are moved into a face-to-facerelationship with each other, (3) a receiving shoulder formed on one ofthe halves and providing means for receiving, guiding and retaining theouter edges of the mating other half, (4) a hinge attached to one end ofeach of the halves and providing means for retaining said halves in apredetermined pivotal relationship to each other, (5) a recess formed inthe wall of the first half, the recess being of a selected size anddepth, (6) a cover plate hingedly mounted on the second half and movabletherewith the cover plate adapted to slide in said slot, (7) shoulderedsides defining the sides of the slot, a first shoulder providing a slidesurface for the inner surface of the cover plate when the cover plate isin said slot, the second shoulder shaped and sized so that as the halvesof the case are moved toward the closed position said second shoulderengages the outer surface of the cover panel and while engaging thecover panel acts as a cam to move the cover panel toward the first halfso that as the halves are brought to the closed position this secondshoulder engages the outer surface and cams the cover panel into therecess, (8) an engaging tongue formed on the unhinged end of the coverplate, the tongue deflectable in and out of the plane of the cover, thetongue having a residual bias adapted to urge and maintain the tongueout of the plane of the plate, (9) a protuberance formed on the tongueand having on its side disposed toward the hinged end of the cover platea sloped cam surface providing a cam means and on its other side theprotuberance has an abutment surface, (10) a stop block on the tongue,the block being disposed at a predetermined distance from the abutmentsurface so that when the cover plate is moved outwardly through the slotthe camming surface of the protuberance is caused to engage theshouldered side of the slot to cam the tongue into the plane of theplate and as the protuberance passes the shouldered side the tongue,urged by its bias, moves toward the shouldered side so as to engage theshouldered side between the abutment surface and stop block whereuponthe cover plate becomes fixed in relation to the first half and in thisfixed position provides a support leg whereby the halves of the case inthis open position are disposed in a preselected spaced relationship toeach other, and (11) a means for latching the halves of the case so thatin a latched and closed position the halves are maintained in a fixedposition with their ends and sides in a face-toface relationship andmeans for releasing the latch so as to allow the halves to be pivotallymoved to the open position.

14. An apparatus case as in claim 13 in which the second half of thecase has mounted therein a leg movable in a pair of receiving groovesdisposed above the wall in the second half, the leg having a straightlower portion and a T-sha-ped upper portion bent at a determined angleto the straight lower portion, the T-portion having a pair of lateralextending portions sized so as to lie in and be pivotally movable andretained in said receiving grooves, and in which, intermediate thereceiving grooves, there is formed a forward shoulder member and a rearshoulder member with said shoulder members being spaced so as to providea passageway for the retention and passing therethrough of the straightportion of the leg, the outer surface of the forward and rear shouldermembers being sized, shaped and spaced so as to provide preselected stoppositions for the open and closed limits of the movement of the leg, anda flat spring adapted to lie in and be retained by seating meansprovided in the second half, the spring as it is mounted, engaging anend of the leg and being bowed thereby so as to provide a bias to urgethe lateral portions of the leg into the receiving groove and to cam theleg into the open and closed limits of operation.

15. An apparatus case as in claim 14 in which the forward and rearshoulder members adjacent the leg passageway have their portionsadjacent the passageway formed with sloped surfaces adapted to engagethe T shaped upper portion of the leg as it is moved to its limits ofoperation and in which the second half has its outer wall surface formedwith a recess portion adapted to receive and retain the straight portionof the leg when the leg is moved to the closed position.

16. An apparatus case as in claim 15 in which the recess formed in theWall of the first half is of rectangular shape and with the slotadjacent the recess being on the side of the recess that is opposite thehinged end, and in which the means for latching the halves of the caseis a slide clip slidably mounted on and retained on a guideway providedon one of the halves and with the clip adapted to slide into engagementwith and retain a guideway tongue provided on the other half, the slideclip and tongue, when in engagement, providing a means for retaining thehalves of the case in a closed position and when the slide clip is movedinto disengagement the halves are free to be swung to the open position.

17. An apparatus case as in claim 15 in which the means for latching thehalves of the case includes a tongue formed on and attached to an end ofone of the halves of the case, the attached portion being at only thelongitudinal inner edge thereof and being sized and shaped so that thematerial forming this attaching portion is disposed to provide a biaswhereby the tongue may be urged by an applied force to move from itsnormal plane and by this bias the tongue is caused to return to itsnormal plane when the force is removed, said tongue having a stop blockportion sized and shaped so as to provide a sloped camming means and ashoulder portion, and in which on the other half of the case there is aclasp portion formed and disposed so as to engage the tongue when thehalves are brought toward and into a closed relationship, the claspportion being attached to an end of this half of the case so that thematerial forming the attaching portion is sized and shaped to provide abias whereby the clasp portion may be urged by an applied force from itsnormal plane and by this bias the clasp portion is caused to return toits normal plane when the applied force is removed, said clasp portionhaving a slope engaging portion adapted to engage the sloped camrningmeans of the tongue and as the two halves are moved toward each otherthe engagement of the tongue and clasp portion cause a deflection of atleast one of the engaging members and against the residual bias in thetongue and clasp portions so that the stop block and bar means are movedfrom their normal plane an amount sufficient for them to pass each otherso that when the halves are moved into their full closed position thebias in the attaching portion of the deflected member urges the memberto a position whereby the 12 bar means of the clasp portion is adjacentthe shoulder of the tongue whereupon said latching means is in theclosed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,079,033 11/1913 SteinhOff248-454 1,962,988 6/1934 Fulton 312-292 X 2,678,182 5/1954 Young 248-4543,168,192 2/1965 Nicholson et al. 206-45.28 X 10 3,226,863 1/1966Southard 248459 X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS CASE HAVING HALVES HINGED AT ONE PORTION SO THAT THECASE MAY BE OPENED IN A PREDETERMINED MANNER TO EXPOSE THOSE COMPONENTSMOUNTED IN THE CASE SO AS TO USE AND VIEW SAID COMPONENTS, AND WHENCLOSED THE HALVES OF THE CASE ADAPTED TO SHIELD AND PROTECT THECOMPONENTS THEREIN, SAID CASE COMPRISING (1) A FIRST HALF, (2) A SECONDHALF SIZED SO AS TO MATE WITH THE FIRST HALF WHEN THE HALVES ARE MOVEDINTO A FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, (3) A HINGE ATTACHEDTO EACH HALF AND PROVIDING MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID HALVES IN APREDETERMINED PIVOTAL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, (4) A RECESSED PORTIONFORMED IN THE FACE OF THE FIRST HALF, SAID RECESS PORTION BEING OF ASELECTED SIZE AND DEPTH, (5) A SLOT FORMED IN THE FIRST HALF ANDDISPOSED ADJACENT THE RECESS SAID SLOT HAVING ITS AXIS PARALLEL TO THEAXIS OF THE HINGE, (6) A COVER PLATE HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON THE SECOND HALFAND MOVABLE THEREWITH, THE COVER PLATE ADAPTED TO SLIDE IN SAID SLOT ANDSIZED AND DISPOSED SO THAT WHEN THE HALVES OF THE CASE ARE MOVED TO THECLOSED POSITON THE COVER PLATE WILL LIE IN THE SLOT AND ADJACENT THERECESSED PORTION TO COVER A SELECTED PORTION OF THE RECESS, (7) MEANS